The Magic Mushroom
by 1Past and Present1
Summary: Desperate to save his emerald, Knuckles makes a crazy decision. Creating an imaginary mushroom with the powers to grant beauty and immortality, he promises to give Rouge all she ever wanted return for his gem. But the mushrooms grant the very opposite...
1. Chapter 1

**The Magic Mushroom**

Written especially for my friend Alegoria (who actually gave the plotline for this fanfic). I hope you enjoy it! Love ya!

This story will be stretched out a bit more than my others, as I have gotten requests for longer adventures. So, this one will have more than one chapter in it, and I hope you wonderful people out there enjoy it!

Read, review and send any advice you like. I also write for people who request it, and I love to chat, so message me! Thanks!

I want send a shout out to The Broken Walking Angel, Alegoria, and ArcanineOod, who chat with me frequently and send wonderful advice. Bless you guys.

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Chapter 1**

**The Proposal**

_It's so quiet up here. __Sometimes I wish my Master Emerald could talk. It would make sitting here all day a whole lot more fun._

"Hey, Knuckie! Missed me yet?"

I blinked in surprise at the sudden outburst, my train of thought shattered. _Whoa, who was that? I'm alone up here!_

I glanced up as I heard soft footsteps in the distance, sighing in relief to see a tall, slender white bat sauntering her way towards me, her curving hips swaying with every graceful step she took. She wore a revealing, skin-tight outfit that showed off every muscle on her lithe body, a testimony to her strength.

"Hello, Rouge. I wasn't expecting to see you up here. Shouldn't you be with Shadow?" I smiled at her, pleased to have some company.

"Nah, I hung out with him the whole week. He's so torn up about Maria that I can't even get through to him. So anyhow, I thought I'd pop on by and check you out for a bit." She grinned sexily, running a finger across her steel chest plate.

"Um… thanks. How are you anyway?" I pushed myself off the rock I had been sitting on and stood up, walking over to her with a hand outstretched in greeting. "It's been a while. I was getting worried."

"Aw, sweetheart. You don't need to worry about little old me! I'm a big girl. I've been doing very well for myself. The club I bought last year is flourishing!" She shook my hand and grinned, fluttering her long lashes alluringly. "I bet you missed me."

I gave her hand a gentle squeeze, nodding. "I did, actually. I get very lonely up here. So, do you need something?"

"Well, I would like that Master Emerald of yours." Her grin turned into a cunning smirk and her eyes narrowed dangerously, her grip on my hand tightening suddenly. "So would you be a dear and hand it over?"

I was stunned by her reaction, almost insulted by her cheekiness. "What? I thought you came to see me!"

"I did, and now I've seen you. Now I want that emerald. Are you going to give it to me, or am I going to have to beat it out of you?"

I wrenched my hand away from hers, growling angrily. "To think, I actually trusted you! What a stupid mistake."

She winked, taking a bold step towards me. "You're so cute when you get mad."

I flinched as her hands suddenly straddled my hips, pulling me against her. "Eek! What are you doing?"

"Making it up to you. I know how upset you get whenever someone wants to take your precious jewel." She brushed her lips against my neck in a kiss, pressing her soft chest against mine.

"You're batty! One minute you want to fight me, the next you're-"

"Shut up and kiss me."

I squeaked as her mouth neared mine, about to force an unwanted kiss upon me.

_Aaah, cooties!_

I pushed her away from me, turning to run. "Get away from me!"

She merely giggled at my reaction, her hands on her hips. "Okay, you go run off. I'll just pinch this lovely jewel of yours while you're dashing around like a maniac."

I froze, turning on my heels and staring in horror as she picked up the Master Emerald with one hand, spreading her wings with a broad smile.

"Bye, Knucklehead!" She gave her wings a firm beat, quickly rising into the air as I ran towards her, already out of my reach by the time I reached her.

"YOU CHEEKY LITTLE BAT-GIRL! Come down here and fight like a man!"

"Um, I'm a woman, Knuckles."

"YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN! GET BACK DOWN HERE!"

"No, I don't think so." She smiled and saluted briefly before turning away from me, beating her wings and soaring upwards. "Cheerio!"

"No! PLEASE COME BACK!"

She was getting farther away every second, and I was running out of options. I tried to glide after her, but she moved too fast for me and was just too high to catch.

_I have to do something! Think, Knuckles! THINK!_

That was when I got a sudden idea.

"I HAVE THE SECRET TO IMMORTALITY AND BEAUTY!"

She froze, twisting round to face me, the emerald held between her hands. "What did you just say?"

"On this island grows a rare mushroom, almost extinct, that grants immortality and beauty to whoever ingests it!" I drifted towards the ground, landing with a soft thud. "And I know where it is!"

She flew closer, hovering ten feet above the ground. "A rare mushroom, you say?"

"Yeah, but it only grows on this island. I'm going on a trip through the forest to harvest some today, and I have a proposition for you."

She frowned. "Go on…"

"If you agree to give me my emerald back, I will give you as much of this mushroom as you can carry! You'll be more beautiful than ever, years will be added to your life and… and you'll have the best sex you can possibly imagine!" I blushed slightly, mentally slapping myself.

_I hope the last part catches her attention…_

She was silent for a moment, thoughtful. "And how do I know this mushroom really exists?"

I smiled confidently, secretly scared out of my mind inside. "Well… um… haven't you ever wondered how my family has watched the emerald for so long?"

She nodded, a curious expression on her face. "Yeah, I have."

"Well, my ancestors discovered the rejuvenating qualities of this mushroom by pure accident while foraging for food. That's why I can sit here all the time, Rouge! I haven't aged for the past ten years! Look at me!"

_I hate lying, but if it gets me my emerald back…_

She gave me a lingering stare, licking her lips. "Mm-mm, it has definitely worked on you!"

I sighed, growing tired of her flirtatious antics. "So, are you in or not? I can make you the happiest lady in the world! All I ask is that you give me my emerald back. In return, I grant you eternal life, unyielding beauty, and a frightening libido."

She grinned, nodding. "Alright, I'll do it! But if this is a trick, I'll cut off your favourite appendage. Got it?"

I nodded nervously, trying to smile. "Er, it's not a trick, I swear…"

_Oh great, what have I gotten myself into this time…_

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That's it for Chapter 1! Good? Bad? Send me your opinion!

Reviews make me happy, so dish them out! I love hearing from you wonderful people.

I'll update this story again real soon, so don't worry! Anyhow, catch you guys later.

-1Past and Present1-


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**The Expedition**

"Argh! I'm tired!" whined a voice behind me, making me cringe with discomfort. "My feet hurt from all this walking and I'm all sweaty, but NOT in a good way."

I sighed as Rouge's arm wrapped itself around mine and tugged angrily, attempting to get my attention. _Be patient, Knuckles. You lied to her, so you'll just have to play nice._

"Knuckie!"

"Look, I'm sorry that you're uncomfortable, Rouge, but just think how SEXY you'll be when you get a nice big mouthful of those special mushrooms I told you about!" I gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder and grinned.

"I'm sexy already, but it wouldn't hurt to be eternally sexy," she replied smugly, waving me away with a hand. "I just hope they make my boobs bigger along with the sexy upgrade."

I snorted in the effort to contain a laugh. _Oh, those mushrooms will do something to your boobs, alright!_

Finally we reached a clearing in the forest, giving way to a clear stream and miniature waterfall that was surrounded by leafy ferns and low hanging trees, offering shade and privacy.

"Look, Rouge! Isn't it beautiful? It's like your own private swimming pool, with all this beautiful foliage surrounding it…"

She stood beside me and frowned, eyeing the attractive piece of nature with a critical eye. "Hmm, not bad. My sound system at home still looks better, though. However, a little shower wouldn't hurt!"

I watched with stunned amazement as she suddenly unzipped her cat suit, letting it drop onto the ground around her ankles in a black heap. "Rouge?!"

"Relax, babe. I'm keeping my bra and thong on, okay?"

_THONG? Look away, Knuckles! Just look away and think about something else…_

I turned around while she waded her way into the water, standing beneath the waterfall to get a refreshing shower.

"You can look, you know! I kind of ENJOY being checked out, by the way."

"Uh, no… er… a lady deserves her privacy and…um…"

"Aw, come over here and join me!"

I was utterly shocked by the invitation, and my head involuntarily twisted around to gaze at her. I immediately regretted it.

Her slender, lithe form glistened beneath the pure water, showing every muscle and curve. Tiny speckles of transparent droplets slowly seeped between her plump breasts and down her abs, and then drifted ever downward to move between her legs teasingly.

Her eyes seemed to twinkle mischievously at me as I stared at her, completely dumbfounded. "I guess you've never had a girlfriend, by the way you're staring at me," she said softly, smiling.

"I… I'm sorry…" I turned away with embarrassment, cursing myself under my breath. _Stupid fool! The last thing you need is to start growing attached to that bat-girl, and it would be a disaster if she started growing attached to YOU. You're here to teach her a lesson, not stare at her enormous-_

"Come and join me already! The water is wonderful."

"Uh, no thanks. I'll go in once you're finished."

"You know that I'll just jump back in here the moment you do that, right? Why not just come over here and let me-"

I was about to interrupt when I noticed a strange yellow dot protruding out of a mossy log beside me, catching my attention. _What's that?_

I bent down beside the log to get a better look at the fleshy yellow thing, a sudden smile spreading across my face when I recognised it to be a fungus. Not just any fungus, but the exact species of fungus I was hoping to find.

_That's it! The mushroom I've been looking for!_

"Rouge, I found one!" I called out in a singsong voice, giving her an ecstatic wave to come closer.

"What? You FOUND one already?" She leapt out of the water and flew towards me, landing softly beside me and bending down to get a better look.

I carefully peeled the mushroom out of the rotten wood and held it to her face. "See? It's a miracle mushroom! My family has been living off it for generations. That's why we echidnas are so handsome."

She frowned at the yellow, floppy fungus, crinkling her nose. "You have got to be kidding me."

"What's wrong, Rouge?"

"I'm NOT eating that thing."

"But it's a medicine! Don't you want to be incredibly sexy with giant boobs and a dangerously unstable libido to please your future harem of boyfriends once you take over the world? I can't believe you'd pass up this opportunity after all we've been through!"

She gave me a suspicious look, her aqua eyes burning into mine. "Do you promise that it's not poisonous and I won't die from eating it?"

"I handed the mushroom to her, smiling. "Cross my heart."

"And when I do have an unstable libido and a harem of men to pleasure myself with, you'll be part of that harem?" She smiled sneakily, running a finger across my chest slowly. "You'd be my number one husband."

"Um, I'll pass on that one. But thanks anyway."

"Humph! This better work."

"You won't know until you try." I smirked as she slowly raised the fungus to her lips, my eagerness building. _This'll teach you not to mess with Knuckles the echidna, or anyone else for that matter!_

She closed her eyes, sighed, and then took a bite out of the mushroom.

I watched as she slowly chewed, fighting the temptation to crack out laughing. _She's actually eating it? HA HA HA HA HA!_

She was then silent for a while, seemingly trying to savour the taste. "Hmm."

"And?"

"It actually tastes pretty good."

"See? I know what I'm doing."

She gave me a warm smile before taking another bite out of the mushroom. "I was wrong about you, honey. Once I'm the most beautiful woman alive, I'm going to give you a little 'reward' for all your hard work."

I shivered as inappropriate thoughts entered my mind. "Um, thanks…"

"Look, there's more!" she suddenly exclaimed, pointing past my head to another tree. "I want all of them!"

"Easy, tiger! I'll go get you some more." I stood up and walked over to the tree, this one a lot more contaminated by fleshy yellow outgrowths than the other. _Shame, poor girl. With this much mushroom in her system, she'll probably start having symptoms by tomorrow morning. I fell kind of… guilty._

I picked all the fungus I could find, and she happily ate it all, seemingly enjoying herself.

"This stuff is delicious!"

I tried to hide the guilty expression on my face, masking it with a laugh. "It is. It's quite a delicacy around here amongst my people. I'm glad you like it so much."

"Hey, I feel kind of light headed," she said with a relaxed sigh, her eyelids drooping. "I think it's working. I feel good…"

Without warning she collapsed to her knees, giving me only a second to catch her before she could hit her head on the tree. "Whoa! These things are more potent than I remember! I better get her back home."

_She's going to kill me when she wakes up…

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TA-DA! The end of Chapter 2!

I promised I'd update, and I did! Did you guys enjoy it? Send me a review! Also, I'm accepting any requests and ideas for future stories, so drop me some mail. I love input!

What's going to happen to Rouge now? And what will she do to poor old Knuckles when she wakes up? Find out next time!

Cheerio!


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**A Rude Awakening**

Well, the final chapter for this story! I hope you guys and gals enjoy it. It's kind of sad that it's coming to an end though. Anyway, moving on…

By the way, this story is in no way meant to be abusive towards Rouge, or any of Rouge's fans out there. I AM a Rouge fan. Go Rouge! *Does cheerleading dance, complete with pompoms* WOO HOO! Uh, ahem…

This chapter will focus on Rouge's point of view, unlike the other two, so don't worry if it seems a bit confusing. Anyhow, read, review and most importantly, enjoy!

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"Rouge, are you awake yet?"

"Leave me alone, mommy…"

"Rouge, it's time to wake up…"

"I don't want to go to school… ten more minutes…"

"Uh, Rouge; I'm not your mommy and you finished school years ago."

I sighed sleepily, rolling over to get more comfortable. "Dad? I promise I didn't bring strange boys home again last night… and I used protection the last time…"

"That was information I really didn't need, thanks. I am not your father either."

I slowly opened my eyes and yawned, noticing a strange echidna seated on the bed beside me. "Are you Santa Clause? I can't say I've been a good girl, but… wait, you're not Santa…"

"Nope," replied the echidna in a strangely familiar voice, his amethyst eyes gazing down at me with amusement. "It's me, the Knucklehead. Remember?"

It took me a moment to process the information, but I soon recognised his fiery red hair and I smiled dreamily, pleased to see him. "Oh! Hello Knuckles. You look so… pretty. Did you do something to your hair? It looks very sexy."

He blushed, chuckling shyly. "You're still slightly delirious from the mushrooms, Rouge, but I think you'll be fine."

"Mushrooms?" I repeated unsurely, even more confused.

"Yes, don't you remember? I took you out to the forest yesterday to find a special species of mushroom."

"Huh? Oh, yeah… yellow floppy thingies…"

"That's right! We found a whole bunch of them. You scoffed down the lot, but I think you consumed just a few too many." He smiled kindly, poking me lightly in the nose. "But at least you're still alive."

"Ah, I see. Didn't you promise they'd make me super sexy?"

"Um… yeah…"

"Well, am I? Do I make you want to rip my clothes off? Do I drive you mad with desire?"

He averted my eyes and sighed, managing a small smile. "Well, uh…I think you're attractive anyway…"

"I also feel kind of weird. Is that because of my enhanced libido? I don't think I'm delirious, but I do feel kind of hot right now. Interested?" I grinned playfully, rolling onto my back like a kitten wanting to have its tummy rubbed. "Did the mushrooms work? Am I infinitely desirable? Go on, tell me!"

His smile abruptly disappeared, replaced by a nervous grimace. "Uh… well, it depends on how you look at it… maybe not quite what you wanted, but…"

I frowned at his reaction. "What… what do you mean? You should be pouncing on me!"

"Now, please stay calm. I can totally explain this…"

"Explain what? Why are you just sitting there when you should be trying to get inside my pants?"

"It's about your appearance…" he tried to explain, swallowing loudly.

I sat up swiftly, sweat beading my forehead. "My appearance? What's wrong with the way I look? I'm sexy!"

"Oh, you are!"

"Then what's the problem?" I folded my arms impatiently, waiting for an answer. Am I not GOOD enough for you?"

He gave me a guilty look and sniffled. "You're having some, uh, skin issues… they've made you look a little, ahem, unusual…"

"WHAT? What do you mean, 'skin issues'?! I have a clear complexion!"

He sighed, slowly rising to his feet. "The mushrooms I fed you had a side effect."

"What…?"

"They've given you a rash. You'll experience some itching, flaking, and maybe some bruising, but you'll be fine…"

"A rash?" I repeated slowly, my fists shaking as anger began to boil inside the pit of my stomach. "A RASH? On MY beautiful face!"

He gave me a reassuring smile, trying to laugh. "But look on the bright side, Rouge! It's only temporary and I really don't think you look so bad…"

I leapt off the bed without another word and bolted into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind me.

I grabbed a mirror that was mounted on the wall beside me and sat on the edge of the bath, staring at my reflection with a mixture of wonder, horror and disgust.

My entire face was discoloured and swollen, my muscles seeming to ache with protest as if I had been beaten with a beer bottle. There were small blue bruises around my eyes and a large lump had attached itself firmly to my forehead.

I touched it with the tip of a finger, wincing painfully. "What… what's happened to me? I'm hideous!"

Ghastly, pimply protrusions covered part my muzzle in pink masses, and as I touched them they popped, seeping a yellow goo onto my gloved fingers that had a gluey texture and strange smell.

"Holy crap… holy freaking crap…"

_My face… it's ruined! What am I going to do now? I can't let my friends see me like this! They'll all laugh at me.__ I NEED MY FACE!_

I dropped the mirror, watching it shatter into a million pieces. "My face… my beautiful face…"

"Rouge?" Knuckles called gently behind the door. "Are you okay?"

_That echidna knew about this the entire time… he tricked me…_

I slowly rose to my feet, opening the door to see a startled echidna standing behind it.

"Rouge, I am so sorry-"

CRUNCH!

My fist collided with his face loudly, sending him flying across the room into the opposite wall.

"YOU ASS! You KNEW this would happen to me!"

"Rouge, I can explain!"

I roared, flying over the bed to land on top of his chest, my weight pressing him to the floor like the filling of a sandwich.

"Please," he begged, a small stream of blood running down his lips. "Just give me a moment to explain why I-"

I silenced him with another punch, knocking out a tooth that rolled across the carpet.

"OUCH!"

"I trusted you! You promised!"

"I'm sorry, please wait!"

I gave him a final blow to the face, sending a small shower of blood and spit onto the wall. "Don't say a word!"

He was silent, nodding obediently.

"I want the cure to whatever it is you've done to me, and I want it NOW. No more tricks!"

He nodded again, pointing to a cabinet in the room. "In there… I got it this morning… while you were asleep…"

"What is it?"

"A small jar…"

I stood up and stalked to the cabinet, throwing it open roughly. As Knuckles had said, there was a small jar containing a clear, watery fluid. I picked it up and unscrewed the cap, sniffing the jar.

_Doesn't smell fishy, but this could be another trick. I wonder what made Knuckles do this to me…_

"Rub it on your face," whispered a voice behind me, making me turn around to see him slowly clambering onto the bed, rubbing his injured jaw. "It'll get rid of that rash."

"What is it?"

"It's tree sap. It combats rashes. You should be fine tomorrow, or the day after. It's pretty powerful stuff."

"Can I trust you this time?"

He gave me a genuine smile, nodding. "I've learnt my lesson. I swear this is no trick."

"Why did you do this to me? I thought we were friends."

"So did I, but you kept trying to steal my emerald from me."

I was shocked, a revelation suddenly sinking in. "So you… you were trying to teach me a lesson? You wanted to prove a point so I wouldn't steal from you again?"

He nodded again. "That was the idea, but it went way too far. I'm sorry."

I sighed, shaking my head. "No. I'm the one who should be apologising. If I weren't so selfish all the time, we wouldn't be here right now. I shouldn't steal from you, and I should be happy with the way I am. But I just wanted to be the best, as usual."

"You are the best, Rouge! I mean, you're gorgeous and smart, you're famous in the thieving industry, and you're a good friend. A little arrogant sometimes, but still a good person. I like having you around!"

I stared at him sadly, racked with guilt. "I… I'm so sorry…I hit you…"

"No, it's fine! I'm not mad or anything." He pulled a thumbs up and smiled, wincing slightly. "Wow, you pack a pretty awesome punch, girl. I'm a little envious."

Without another word I pounced on top the bed, throwing my arms around his neck whilst forcing my lips over every available area on his face. "Thank you, Knuckie! I'll never steal your emerald again, I promise! I've learnt my lesson!"

"Easy, tiger! Whoa!" He laughed as I rolled him over the edge of the mattress, knocking us both to the floor.

By pure accident my lips found his, locking us together for a wonderfully long second before we slowly parted, my back pressed onto the floor as he lay over me, staring into my eyes with strange warmth I had never seen before.

"Wow," I murmured, blushing slightly.

"Yeah… wow…"

We eyed each other for a while, but the urge became too strong and our lips simply rejoined, longer than the last time.

_I may not have a harem of husbands, but I think this one echidna is all I'll ever need. I love you, Knucklehead…

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Well, the end I guess. This chapter didn't come out the way I wanted it to, but it's not too bad. Send me your opinions, my dears, and some ideas if you can spare them. Thanks, and take care!

Anyway, I hope you guys and gals enjoyed this little adventure! I don't think Rouge and Knuckles are going to be fighting with each other anymore, not after making out like that! And in a BEDROOM! *Giggles mischievously*

Bye!


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